Objections to development of two- to three-bed bungalows near Bridgnorth

Scriven Developments Ltd has targeted 0.88 hectares of land to the west of Woodhill Road, on the outskirts of Highley.

It comes 10 years after a similar application was rejected, with planning officers deeming it to be contrary to the relevant policies and outside the settlement boundary.

The latest proposal is for a mix of two- to three-bed bungalows suited for 50-plus disabled or less ambulant occupants, and to meet the identified local need for this type of housing requirements.

Open space is included along the northern boundary, with additional tree and hedge planting including large principle native trees. All matters have been reserved for later determination, including access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale.

In a design and access statement, agent Steven Dunn said a meeting was held with the applicant and Highley Parish Council prior to the application being submitted.

“The council generally supported the scheme and suitability of the site, subject to details at the reserved matters application stage,” said Mr Dunn, adding that it requested that the bus stop adjacent to the site is improved as part of the development, and local indigenous species were used for all new tree and shrub planting.

“It was recognised by the council that there was a substantial shortfall in the housing allocation for Highley, and that a low rise, low density development would be preferred,” said Mr Dunn.

“It was suggested that improvements to the existing facilities at the Severn Centre would be more appropriate, and the developer would be expected to make the usual contributions to the council should the scheme go forward.”

Access and parking along Woodhill Road was flagged as an area of concern by councillors, which will be addressed at the reserved matters stage, said Mr Dunn.

However, the parish council has lodged an objection through Shropshire Council’s planning portal, saying it was outside the settlement boundary, there were highways issues, and the public open space was of a poor quality.

It added that it had received photographic and video evidence of flooding from residents, and the planning committee ‘represent the views of the community’.

Deborah Edge added that the reasons for refusing the previous application are still valid.

“The site is outside the settlement boundary for Highley and the land has been assessed to remain as open countryside,” she said.

“If this development were to go ahead, Woodhill Barns would be at risk of increased flooding due to increased run off from the proposed site. The existing drainage is not effective.

“The field generally slopes east to west and significantly downwards to the north. However, the field crowns around the area of the bus shelter on the B4555 adjacent to the field, and slopes southward towards the western border behind the barns. The south western corner of the field is consistently either a bog or flooded.”

Ian Homer, meanwhile, said that although bunaglows are a better alternative to houses, they would still add people and vehicles “to an already compressed area".

“Local ammenities like doctors and health services are already struggling to cope with the populaton increase in this village over the last few years,” said Mr Homer.

“There is also a known issue with off-road parking for existing residents in the immediate area together with a new HMO development to ‘The Castle’ that passed recently. With another large development of 50 plus houses in consideration less than half a mile south of this proposed development, the amount of traffic being added to Woodhill Road will increase significantly.”